36 Hours in Kauai, Hawaii

These days, Kauai sits firmly on the tourist radar, an indisputable rival of its famous neighbors, Oahu and Maui. But upon first glance at its unspoiled natural splendor, you’d never know it. A closer look at one of the oldest (geologically speaking) and arguably most beautiful of the major Hawaiian Islands reveals a blossoming culinary scene, a rooted arts community and a smattering of resorts. But thanks to careful regulation (by law, building heights max out at 55 feet) and a certain amount of pushback from residents (in 2007 protesters quickly quashed high-speed ferry service between Oahu and Kauai), most of the island still feels like the world’s most stunning backwater.

FRIDAY

6 p.m.1.Art and Literature

Kauai’s small but enthusiastic community of artists clusters in Hanapepe, with its dozen or so galleries housed in buildings along Hanapepe Road that, although reminiscent of America’s Wild West, were built by Asian immigrants around the turn of the 20th century. Every Friday, the galleries and other shops leave their doors open late for Hanapepe Art Night. You can browse through exhibitions at galleries like Island Art Gallery, at 3876 Hanapepe Road (islandartkauai.com), and Amy-Lauren’s Gallery, at 4545 Kona Road (amylaurensgallery.com), which feature local artists taking inspiration from the landscape and culture of Kauai. Craft and food vendors selling Hawaiian barbecue and tacos also set up shop along the street. Reserve time to browse the pleasantly musty stacks of new and used books at Talk Story Bookstore, the only dedicated bookstore on the island — and it is a charmer.

8 p.m.2.Dinner With Sugar

Kauai’s sugar industry once dominated the landscape, and the footprints of its sprawling plantations continue to shape it today. Towns founded to serve plantation workers now serve shoppers, and plantation grounds now cater to myriad leisurely pursuits. This is especially true at the Kilohana Plantation. Here, in what was once a sprawling 16,000-square-foot home, bedrooms have been converted into shops selling items like jewelry and pottery made by local artisans; the inner courtyard is now the elegant Gaylord’s Restaurant. After a couple of years of tinkering, the menu has settled on a by-turns familiar and adventurous approach — the island caprese ($14) is a refreshing twist on the salad standard, while the sesame seared fresh catch ($29) reimagines classic Hawaiian seafood dishes. Live guitar players in flowery shirts sing beachy rock standards, providing just the right dose of Hawaiian kitsch.

SATURDAY

8:30 a.m.3.Coffee at the Source

Load up on hearty egg, vegetable and rice dishes (about $10) at Kalaheo Café & Coffee Co. Wash it down with a local blend, then head to the source. The Kauai Coffee Company got its start in 1987, taking over land formerly used for sugarcane. Since then, it has survived encroachment from the tourist industry to maintain its oceanfront headquarters, 3,100 acres of coffee trees and status as the largest coffee plantation in Hawaii. The self-guided tour is short and interesting, and connoisseurs will get a kick out of the many varieties ready to sample inside the visitor’s center.

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Waterfalls provide a dramatic backdrop as people stroll along Hanalei Bay.Credit
Cory Lum for The New York Times

10:30 a.m.4.Hikes With Views

Kauai is more than five million years old — plenty of time for nature to carve out some dramatic contours. Perhaps most dramatic is Waimea Canyon, a chasm over 3,000 feet deep and composed of a thousand shades of brown, green and red. Take Highway 550 to Kokee State Park, then continue on, stopping at lookouts along the way — those past mile marker 9 are particularly majestic. At the very end, both Kauai topographies loom side by side, the dusty hues of the arid south against the intense greens of the lush north. A number of hikes accommodate a wide range of ambitions. The Cliff Trail, near mile marker 14, is an easy two-mile round-trip trek to a sweeping overlook. Look for Halemanu Road, where the hike begins.

There’s no preparing for the visual spectacle of Kauai’s north shore, with its mountains practically dripping green and beaches aglow with barely trodden golden sand. There’s only one road in, and once you get past the resort community of Princeville, the town of Hanalei anchors the coastline with its guileless, though well-heeled, beach culture. Pick up a salmon or chicken salad sandwich (under $10) at Hanalei Gourmet, where insulated backpacks (free loaners with sandwich purchases) are available for to-go picnics, then rent snorkel gear ($7) at the Wainiha General Store just outside town. Farther on, the highway’s end is the beginning of the Na Pali Coast, roughly 12 unsullied miles of verdant shoreline. That’s where you’ll find Kee Beach, an alcove whose water is surrounded by reef, attracting colorful marine life while keeping the waves at bay. It’s a perfect snorkeling spot. After toweling off, stroll down the beach and turn around: There’s the Na Pali Coast spread before you like some fantasy realm.

Not even the grandeur of the rest of the north shore can prepare you for the view you’ll have over Hanalei Bay as you sip cocktails and watch the sunset from the terrace of the St. Regis Bar. The St. Regis Princeville Resort opened in 2009 on the reimagined grounds of the old Princeville Resort, and while some still bemoan the glassing in of the formerly open-air lobby, the appeal of the space remains. The Champagne presentation just before dark feels a bit Hawaii-by-way-of-Disney, but it’s informative and a small price (about $15 to $16 per cocktail) to pay for the glorious setting and skillful bartending.

6:30 p.m.7.A Friendly Barracuda

Bedtime comes early on Kauai, so start early to get in a full evening. Hanalei has become a culinary hot spot, and a recent addition to the scene is Bar Acuda, a small-plates restaurant tucked behind a health food store. Ask for a table on its cloistered wraparound porch to nibble on dishes like local honeycomb and seared sea scallop (each $12). Reservations are recommended.

8:30 p.m.8.Tipple in Tahiti

Follow dinner with drinks at Tahiti Nui, the best bar on the island, with its thatched walls and divey aloha ambience. There’s live music most evenings, and more often than not the genre is native to Hawaii — slack-key guitars and ukuleles rule the night. It all feels more like a family gathering than the big production for out-of-towners found elsewhere in Hawaii. Every Hawaiian-themed bar in the world wishes it could be this one.

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Talk Story Bookstore is situated on the southern end of the island.Credit
Cory Lum for The New York Times

SUNDAY

8 a.m.9.Standing on Water

A quick coffee from Hanalei Wake Up Cafe should have you ready to try some stand-up paddleboarding, a Hawaiian original that has over the past decade spread around the globe. With its short learning curve and high fun quotient, after a morning lesson you may be paddling out into Hanalei Bay with the big boys. Far enough, anyway, to watch those advanced surfers catching waves at the break farther out. If the ocean’s rough, you can stick to the Hanalei River. Hawaiian Surfing Adventures gives hourlong group lessons starting at $55.

11 a.m.10.A Movable Feast

Mom-and-pop joints dot the roadside along the drive to the Lihue Airport. Hit Moloaa Sunrise Juice Bar for smoothies or an acai bowl ($7.25). Some ingredients are sourced directly from the farms surrounding the wood hut. On the outskirts of Kapaa, Paco’s Tacos serves fish tacos ($4.85) from a food truck with picnic tables by the ocean. Coconut stands abound. Get one, and after you’ve finished drinking the juice, have the vendor cut out the coconut’s meat — it’s delicious.

12:30 p.m.11.Environmental Survey

While helicopter tours are popular, and breathtaking, planes offer an alternative that use a fraction of the fuel a helicopter gobbles up — and they’re cheaper. AirVentures Hawaii offers 70-minute flights ($125) over the majority of the island not accessible by car, including the Na Pali Coast, numerous peaks and valleys and more waterfalls than you could count.

2 p.m.12.Plantation Past

The town of Koloa sprang up to serve workers on the island’s first sugar plantation, founded in 1835. It’s been lovingly preserved and today houses shops ranging from practical to amusing — a perfect stop for last-minute souvenirs. The Ukulele Store is an outpost of Larry’s Music in Kapaa, with rows upon rows of this classic Hawaiian instrument for sale. If you’re still hungry, TomKat’s Grille is a local favorite with a lost-in-time garden.

It’s hard to imagine a hotel that takes better advantage of the natural wonders surrounding it than the St. Regis Princeville Resort (5520 Ka Haku Road, Princeville; stregisprinceville.com). The 252 rooms officially start at $1,100 but are often found online for under $400.

A quirkier option is the Hanalei Surfboard House (5459 Weke Road, Hanalei; hanaleisurfboardhouse.com), with its three unique rooms; it’s one of the only places to stay within Hanalei’s town limits. From $325 per night, plus a one-time $95 cleaning fee.

A version of this article appears in print on December 8, 2013, on Page TR9 of the New York edition with the headline: 36 Hours: Kauai, Hawaii. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe